Tyler Hoechlin distinctly remembers the day he was cast as The CW’s Superman in June of 2016. While driving back from a road trip to Zion National Park with his brother, Hoechlin received an unexpected phone call from his reps just as the pair was passing through Las Vegas. About a week earlier, he had met with executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg to discuss the idea of introducing the Man of Steel in the second season of Supergirl—but didn’t know what he was walking into until an hour before the meeting.

“I found out later through them that, apparently, that was the only meeting they took for the character,” he said in an interview, “so they apparently saw something [in me].”

After making guest appearances on a bevy of Arrowverse shows, including Arrow, The Flash, Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow, Hoechlin, who never planned to sign on for more than a couple of high-stakes crossover episodes, discovered that Berlanti and Todd Helbing were developing a new show about Superman and Lois Lane in late 2018. Nearly a year later, Superman & Lois was announced, tasking the famous power couple with their most relatable challenge yet: parenting two teenage boys (among other things in Smallville).

From the time he was cast more than five years ago, Hoechlin has worked diligently to emulate the Man of Tomorrow’s trademark physique, which he considers “a huge part of the character.” As a former college baseball player for Arizona State and UC Irvine, the 33-year-old says he's adopted a similar mentality to prepare for his most physically demanding roles, from his early days as Derek Hale on MTV's supernatural teen drama Teen Wolf to his current portrayal of Clark Kent (and that legendary alter-ego).

“For me, I appreciate and am excited about the challenge of it,” Hoechlin says of his physical transformation into Superman. “This isn’t a movie; it’s not like a few months of prep, a few months of shooting, and you’re done. We’ve been shooting for 10 months [this season], and next year will be at least seven, and it’s going to be a yearly thing. So I really looked forward to the challenge of not getting to that place but maintaining it for hopefully a long time.” (via Men's Health)

Over the last few years, the Spider-Verse and Venomverse have exploded with new characters in blockbuster comic book series like Edge of Spider-Verse and Venomverse Reborn. But the Marvel multiverse isn’t big enough for both Spider and symbiote. This April, choose a side as webheads and symbiote hosts wage war in SPIDER-VERSE VS. VENOMVERSE.

Crafted by writers Mat Groom and Kyle Higgins and superstar artist Luciano Vecchio, this five-issue epic spins out of March’s WEB OF SPIDER-VERSE: NEW BLOOD and April’s WEB OF VENOMVERSE: FRESH BRAINS, two one-shots that will debut major players for the reality-shattering battles ahead. The armies amassed will include a wide range of characters including icons like Spider-Man and Venom, along with fan-favorite and recently-introduced newcomers from previous Spider-Verse and Venomverse stories.

SPIDERS VERSUS SYMBIOTES! The arachnid war is here! With the fates of the SPIDER-VERSE and VENOMVERSE hanging in the balance, these eight-legged warriors will stop at nothing from protecting their people – or die trying! Will Spider-Man and friends succeed in protecting the Web-Heart? Or will Venom and his symbiotic comrades prove that the Hive-Mind fights for its survival? Meet the newest Web-Head Spider-Prowler as well as the mysterious symbiote Yaleo as this savage battle risks their extinction!

“When Dan Slott and Olivier Copiel launched the SPIDER-VERSE in 2014, it transformed the Spider-Man mythos and completely took over the world,” Groom said. “Since then, creators like Donny Cates, Al Ewing and Ram V have transformed the Venom mythos in a way that is arguably just as vital and transformative. Crashing these worlds together is a genuine honor and a privilege— and it gives us an opportunity to push both sides to the breaking point, so we can all discover whether the Spider and Symbiote communities hold strong against the oncoming storm... or if they crack under the pressure!”

“I think one of the genius decisions of this event was having Luciano do all of the character designs for our two lead-in titles,” Groom continued. “Luciano’s superpower is building complex tapestries of intertwined characters and worlds…and I love that readers will get an early taste of that in NEW BLOOD and FRESH BRAINS!”

Check out Vecchio’s main cover and preorder WEB OF SPIDER-VERSE: NEW BLOOD #1, WEB OF VENOMVERSE: FRESH BRAINS #1, and SPIDER-VERSE VS. VENOMVERSE #1 at your local comic shop today!

In addition to saving the world, some super heroes also know how to command a stage! This April, the heroes of the Marvel Universe who double as chart-topping music stars band together in CONCERT OF CHAMPIONS, an epic new one-shot arriving in April. Following their success on last year’s Dazzler solo series, writer Jason Loo and artist Rafael Loureiro keep the hits coming as Dazzler joins fellow singing sensations like Luna Snow, Lila Cheney, and Spider-Gwen to put on a first-of-its-kind concert. Amidst the set lists, fans will get a backstage pass to explosive action as a villainous band threatens to steal the show!

It’s the first-ever CONCERT OF CHAMPIONS, a festival bringing together the Marvel Universe’s biggest and brightest musical stars! Headliners include Dazzler, spinning out from her recent hit-making limited series, K-pop sensation Luna Snow, interdimensional rockstar Lila Cheney and many more. And there will also be some surprising fans in attendance – including the sensational Spider-Gwen! But who – or what? – is the mysterious new metal band DEEP VOID – and what are their sinister intentions?! Musical mayhem is in store in the mighty Marvel manner!

“I'm honored to work on Marvel's first annual music festival, and with a STACKED line-up,” Loo shared. “Luna Snow was already on my playlist while I was writing the last Dazzler series, so getting to have her share the stage with Dazzler and Lila Cheney is a total dream. Also, get ready for DEEP VOID, 616's new black metal band, made-up of some familiar faces. That one song they have RIPS!”

Check out the cover by Javier Garrón and preorder CONCERT OF CHAMPIONS #1 at your local comic shop today!

Ryan Gosling may be headed to the great galaxy far, far away.

The three-time Oscar nominee is in negotiations to topline the Star Wars feature project that will be directed by Deadpool & Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy.

Details on any Star Wars project are harder to acquire than plans for an orbital planet killer, and this one is no exception. Levy has been developing his Star Wars feature since 2022 and Jonathan Tropper, who collaborated with Levy on films such as This Is Where I Leave You and The Adam Project, has been working on a script for over a year. Levy is also producing the feature via his 21 Laps banner, joining Star Wars stewards Kathleen Kennedy and Lucasfilm.

Sources say the Gosling development is a late-in-the-game move for Levy’s movie schedule. The filmmaker was eyeing to direct a boy band movie set up at Paramount, which would have reunited him with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. But Gosling’s interest and involvement suddenly shifted the Star Wars project into hyperspace. (via The Hollywood Reporter)

Robert De Niro portrays a respected former U.S. President in Netflix's Zero Day, which has released its first official trailer ahead of the limited series’ release on February 20.

De Niro's character George Mullen, as head of the Zero Day Commission, is tasked with finding the perpetrators of a devastating cyber attack that caused chaos around the country and thousands of fatalities. He is working on the top-secret investigation at the behest of the current Commander-in-Chief Evelyn Mitchell (Angela Bassett), a task that will force him to confront his own dark secrets while risking all he holds dear.

The limited series from co-creators and executive producers Eric Newman (Griselda, Narcos), Noah Oppenheimer and Mike Schmidt, also stars Jesse Plemons, Lizzy Caplan, Connie Britton, Joan Allen and Matthew Modine with Clark Gregg and Gaby Hoffmann guest starring. (via Deadline)

Trailer: https://youtu.be/FOfBiiPdQPI

Netflix has confirmed the release window for its highly anticipated Troll 2, scheduling the Norwegian monster saga’s next chapter for 2025.

The announcement came through the streaming giant’s latest letter to shareholders, marking the first significant update since the sequel was greenlit in 2023. The original Troll, directed by Roar Uthaug, became Netflix’s most-watched non-English film, having amassed an impressive 103 million views in its first 91 days and earning a “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie’s success has showcased Netflix’s growing strength in international markets, with the film becoming a global phenomenon despite its regional roots and Norwegian-language presentation.

The sequel will see the return of director Uthaug and writer Espen Aukan, along with producers Espen Horn and Kristian Strand Sinkerud. While specific plot details remain under wraps, Horn and Sinkerud have confirmed that Troll 2 will continue drawing from Norwegian folklore, maintaining the cultural authenticity that made the first film special.

Troll 2 is scheduled to debut on Netflix in 2025. (via ComicBook.com)

During his groundbreaking 16-year run of Uncanny X-Men, Chris Claremont transformed Marvel’s Merry Mutants into the pop culture phenomenon they are today. Now, his unparalleled impact on the franchise continues with all-new stories that add new depth and revelations to this influential era. This April, Claremont returns to a key turning point for one of the X-Men’s most iconic duos in WOLVERINE AND KITTY PRYDE. Teaming up with rising star artist Damian Couceiro (X-Men Unlimited, Groot), Claremont will further reveal Wolverine and Kitty’s adventures in Japan, following their beloved 1984-1985 team-up series, Kitty Pryde and Wolverine. The saga pits the pair against all-new villains while they forge the incredible bond that redefined them as characters. The series will feature covers delivered by another legendary X-Men talent, artist Alan Davis.

When Kitty Pryde nearly lost her soul to Ogun during her journey to Japan, Logan was there to keep the youngest X-Man on the path to good. But as a mysterious force threatens their lives while staying with Mariko Yashida, it’s going to take all of their combined mutant, ninja and fighting skills to protect those they love! An all-new adventure that at last tells the full story of the duo’s journey in Japan before returning to the X-Men and the heartbreak, trials and tribulations that made the characters who they are today.

“It’s really great returning to this arc, especially since it’s being presented by a wonderful artist, Damian Couceiro!” Claremont said. “It’s the story of what happens between the end of the original Kitty Pryde and Wolverine mini-series and Logan and Pryde's return home to rejoin the X-Men. Five issues, more than a single story, complete with surprises galore!”

“Obviously, that Kitty Pryde and Wolverine miniseries is so iconic, taking Kitty from the ‘junior’ X-Man to the fully fledged hero we see when she returns to New York,” Editor Mark Basso added. “But there was a clear gap between the end of this Ogun situation and when Wolverine and Kitty arrive in New York in Uncanny X-Men #192, and we were thrilled Chris was ready to show what happened in that intervening window. Why was Kitty in such a different headspace when they got back? And hey, where’d Kitty’s father get to? Now you’ll get to see.”

Check out Davis’ cover along with stunning variant covers by Adi Granov, Marcus To, and Rickie Yagawa and preorder WOLVERINE AND KITTY PRYDE at your local comic shop today!

Dynamite Kids, Dynamite Entertainment’s new juvenile imprint, is excited to announce the North American rights acquisition of M. G. Leonard’s The Ice Children, author of the award-winning bestselling Adventures on Trains series and Twitch. Dynamite acquired North American Rights including audio from Cathryn Gregory at Macmillan Publishers International Limited.



The book is a modern fairytale adventure celebrating the magic and wonder of winter in all its forms by M.G. Leonard, the award-winning, bestselling author of Adventures on Trains, Twitch, and Beetle Boy. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, the hardback book features gorgeous illustrations in black-and-white throughout by Penny Neville-Lee complementing Leonard’s tale. It’s a perfect gift for boys and girls ages 8-12.

At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no one can wake him.

Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit.

Each day, more children are found frozen, and Bianca realizes she’s running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems . . . Can Bianca save her brother and the other Ice Children before they are forever lost?

“The Ice Children makes for a compelling winter treat as it is full of mesmerizing danger and excitement, with a strong ecological message, too,” said Nick Barrucci, Dynamite Entertainment CEO and Publisher. “We’re all thrilled at Dynamite to be bringing M. G. Leonard’s talent for writing exciting mystery stories to our North American readers.”

THE ICE CHILDREN is slated for release in January 2025. It’s available through all fine retailers of books.

Earth's ultimate protector returns for a new era of stories, as Dynamite and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products present Captain Planet in an epic new comic series starting this April.

"Every comic creator has their own personal white whale — that singular property they’ve been itching to make their mark on — and for more than a decade Captain Planet has been mine," said writer David Pepose.

Five ordinary young people from around the world must become humanity's last hope after being chosen to wield elemental rings of Gaia, the High Priestess of Earth. Each Planeteer suddenly finds themselves equipped with abilities aligned with one of the world's elemental forces: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and Heart. And in the most dire circumstances, the five can combine these powers together to summon the globe's greatest champion — Captain Planet!
 
Kwame from Ghana wields the power of Earth.
Wheeler hails from the United States and channels Fire.
Linka's origins are in Russia and she can manipulate Wind.
Gi traces back to South Korea and can control Water.
Ma-Ti is from Brazil and uses Heart.

Red-hot superstar writer David Pepose (Space Ghost, Cable) fuses his powers with artist Eman Casallos (Vampirella, Pathfinder) for the first comics series starring Captain Planet in over three decades. They're kicking off the story with an energized, yet faithful modernization of the franchise, in the same vein as Pepose's approach to the smash-hit Space Ghost series.

Before these would-be eco-warriors can grasp their own newfound powers in pursuit of environmental justice, they're first going to have to learn to trust each other. It will be even more of a trial by fire experience when Gaia is kidnapped, forcing the inexperienced Planeteers to learn in action against the well-financed might of Lucian Plunder. Their first test against the ruthless exploiters of Earth won't be the hardest, but it all starts here!

   
Pepose is ambitiously embracing bringing this beloved 1990s cartoon to the comics page, for the first time at this scale and tone. It will appeal both to those who grew up on the show and are now seasoned adults in tune with the real world headlines that inspire the challenges of the Planeteers, as well as their children and other younger readers. He has described the excitement in trying to balance a moment to shine in each and every issue for all the main characters, their own emotional arcs, showcasing the might of Captain Planet, and bringing in some of the show's iconic villains.

The first issue is scheduled to release April 23, timed to the same week as Earth Day. Dynamite is also proud to announce that Captain Planet issues will be printed on 70% recycled paper, as with all of the publisher's periodicals.

For this historic return of the iconic franchise, Dynamite has assembled a team just as diverse as the Planeteers to contribute jaw-dropping covers for the series. The first issue features variants by superstar Mark Spears, known for his Monsters series; Christian Ward; and Ben Oliver. The first six issues will also feature a special connecting set of covers by Jae Lee and June Chung.

   
CAPTAIN PLANET #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ February 2025 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in April 2025. Comic book fans are encouraged to preorder copies of the book with their local comic book retailers. It will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, ComicsPlus, and more! 

It's been well believed for a while that the early casting of Milly Alcock to play Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl was so that the character could debut in this year’s Superman movie. It was also believed that when James Gunn said that he had shown the Superman trailer to an unannounced actress in the film who cried while watching it, that many believed he was speaking of Alcock. People even believe they see Alcock’s reflecting in the damaged robot show in the trailer… if the zoomed in really far that is. All of this could be why when The Hollywood Reporter had their exclusive about David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham joining the now filming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow as Kara’s parents, no one really batted an eye when the article said: “Alcock was picked as Supergirl almost a year ago and will first appear in Gunn’s Superman movie. Supergirl gets underway this winter and will shoot in the UK.” Was THR simply stating as fact what everyone has come to expect or was this confirmation of Supergirl returning to the big screen for the first time in over forty years? It would explain why Alcock was cast in the role a year before production on the film began.